Bodega El Capricho

El Capricho has been a wonderful and memorable experience. The tour of the farm and discovering how José Gordon's grandfather built, shaped and transformed Jimenez de Jamuz and created a legacy around his vision was truly admirable and inspiring. The dining experience was unforgettable, we wanted to try the most rare and special type of Chuleton, the team advised us to go for the Buey de Trabajo. OMG it was one of the best cut of Chuleton we ever tried, so tender and succulent, the meat was malting in our mouth like butter. The wine selection is mesmerizing, we were advised by the friendly and attentive staff to order a bottle of Tinta Del Toro Numanthia 2019, spot on advice!!! The tartare and cecina were also superb. Before ordering the dessert, we ordered the local cheese platter, absolutely delicious!! A five-star experience!!!

It was a rather good experience overall, but the food order was a bit strange. They left the steak until almost the end of the meal, and we were already quite full. We had a ‘worker cow’ steak, which was delicious but quite fatty. We paid €250 plus, which seemed a bit much considering the service. I’ve paid that for a two-star Michelin restaurant with much better service. The star of the meal? The tartar—oh my goodness, it was perhaps the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted in my whole life. The staff were friendly. The tour was great, and overall, I would recommend it! I would go straight for the tartar and steak.

This is the best steak I’ve ever had!!! The flavor is something that cannot be replicated and it’s truly a unique experience. The service was absolutely wonderful as well and I am especially thankful for the detailed explanation of the menu. Chef Gordón was also very detailed oriented in his explanation of his masterpiece and I definitely will be back. Thank you very much team Bodega el Capricho.

Amazing food, best steak we have ever eaten. The tasting menu was a great way to appreciate the array of different cuts / preparations. Service was terrible, staff where rude and told us not to have the tasting menu as it would be “too much”, when we said we where having it the waiter rolled her eyes and walked off. The sommelier (Fredrick?) was great though, he was the only person that explained things well and seemed happy we where there. Although the cave is cool, it lacked atmosphere and need a bit of a background music the give it a vibe. I’d still recommend a visit as the food was spectacular, but rude service let the experience down

Some of the best meat (OX) we have ever tasted. 3 courses for lunch, The whole place is amazing, location, presentation, taste, service, options. I recommend you make a reservation for the cellar booths 😜.

We had an amazing experience at Boega El Capricho. The staff were wonderful and incredibly attentive throughout our visit. The highlight was when Mr. Gorgon personally came to our table to greet us and guide us through the menu, helping us choose each dish for an unforgettable lunch. He also personally carved the main cuts of meat, which made the experience even more special. I highly recommend it — absolutely worth the trip!"

What can be said! I try to be brief. I arrived around 8pm after driving for many hours from san Sebastian as my last stop. On arrival the place looked closed, but soon i found someone and informed them i wished to dine there if possible. English seemed a problem even though they understood. After waiting 20 mins, which i do not really do, i saw that the chef was giving me a look over from behind the kitchen glass to see if i am worthy to eat there type of look! I thought, wow this place must be really booked up and full that they cant find a table? 2 mins later i get asked to follow one of the staff to a table. Going down some stairs and entering into a cave, which seemed cool for a second, only to notice there was hardly anyone inside. I think i counted 4 tables of 3 and myself! The rest was empty! Then i get presented with a menu, stating that the minimum must be one cut of 1kg of beef/ox with no combination and no alternatives + starters ! So i decided to go for the 1kg of “full flavoured ox” at 170 euros per 1 kg. After a short time i was presented with the cut of 1kg, in my opinion it was 250g of lean meat, 450g of bone and 300g of fat Anyways, i was intrigued to see what the big hype is about the “best stake in the world” so i continued. After a while i was presented with the cooked steak, fat take off to be made “crispy” and the rest presented to me. First bite, im heading crunchy rock salt not ox or beef. After clearing all the excessive salt off, i started to try to find out what the fuss was all about! The green salad of wilted lettuce or the left over tasting potatoes really were not impressive! I continued to eat the meat while i was listing with amusement to the next table who were vowing not to do this again and what a big mistake it was for them to drive from Leon to eat at this place. I held my laughter in as I have the same sentiment… “over hyped, over priced food in the middle of nowhere… not doing this again” after they ordered a lot of meat, starters and wine to wash the excessive salt down with. I simply asked for the bill, the waitress (one of only 2 for the whole restaurant) asked if the food is ok? I answered “ honestly… over salted” This is a perfect example of a place that is over hyped, awarded and rewarded by people who do not know what they are talking about only to create some kind of “elite spot” which this can not compare to the likes of others around the world or even Spain or portugal next door who would put this place to shame in quality and price. I would be surprised if they really survive as a restaurant for another year with this kind of attitude, quality and pricing towards punters! The sad reality they do not do justice to the amazing ox/beef they grow and slaughter for profits. As stated by the next table “over hyped, over priced, wouldn’t do this again”

If you're an avid food lover, a visit to Botega El Capricho in León, Spain, is an absolute must. My friends and I recently made the pilgrimage all the way from Australia, undertaking a 3.5-hour detour just to experience this renowned establishment, and it was worth every minute. Before dining, we took the opportunity to visit the farm, which is essential for anyone seeking a true paddock-to-plate experience. Witnessing the care and dedication behind the meat we were about to enjoy added an extra layer of appreciation to our meal. From the moment we arrived, the staff, including the owner José Gordon, made us feel welcome. Their friendliness, knowledge, and accommodation truly enhanced our experience. It's clear that they are passionate about their craft and eager to share that passion with their guests. Now, let's talk about the steak. All three of us have dined in some of the world's finest restaurants, but we unanimously agreed that the steak at Botega El Capricho was the best we had ever tasted. The flavor, tenderness, and quality were simply unparalleled. In conclusion, if you find yourself in León, don't hesitate to make the detour to Botega El Capricho. The combination of exceptional food, a warm atmosphere, and a commitment to quality makes it a dining experience you won't want to miss. We're so glad we did!

Una experiencia inolvidable. La mejor carne de buey en España, en verdad es un restaurante que no se puede perder. Todo estuvo excelente. El servicio fue excelente, muy atentos. Finalmente, el ambiente/local fue algo mágico, estaba acogedor y rústico.

Worst experience ever and the way they handled our complaint of being food poisoned left us surprised! We went there for a tour on the 1st of April followed by dinner in the evening. It was a gift to my husband because he turned 50.   We have very much been looking forward to the visit because we saw the documentary and planned our whole trip of 5 days with this as the main highlight. We also booked their hotel for 2 nights.   The tour seeing the animals and the caves with Miriam was a big delight. We really enjoyed ourselves. In the evening we had the big tasting menu. My husband, our daughter and me. It was all very tasty, just not the big steak which was chewy. Because of this my daughter and I did not eat more than a little of this but my husband unfortunately did.   Unfortunately during the night my husband woke up feeling very bad. He was vomiting and having diarrhea. It was very clear that he had food poisoning. The day after we had to drive to Madrid for our flight back home to Mallorca. I am sure you can imagine what a horrible trip that was.   I wrote El Capricho to explain them this as they are a professional restaurant and should handle a matter of this with respect. We waited days and days for an answer. They didn't believe us and in the end send us to their lawyer! I NEVER experienced a service this bad! You should think, being professional they would compensate or at least let us know they were sorry but NOTHING! We are still waiting to hear back from their lawyer but now after months ts clear to us, that they don't care at all unless their clients are happy. Such a shame! Thousands of euros spend and a 50th birthday ruined! We didn't even get an apology.

Very nice restaurant and definitely an interesting experience. Being from the Midwest USA (prime meat country) it would be difficult for me to call this the best steak restaurant in the world and overall quite frankly was a little disappointed. We participated in the tour of the farm, which was fun and quirky. Seeing the aging bodega was cool and understanding the traditions of this particular region really interesting. When we arrived for seating it was a bit of a slapstick comedy as we were circled up and down several sets of stairs, in and out of several rooms, as we were handed off from one person to another. Our server was very pleasant, but did little to describe what was being presented to us through the multiple courses and quickly disappeared once the plate was on the table. Trying to get water was a little bit of a challenge too, despite making it clear this was important to our group. The cave seating and ambiance was really a fun experience. The wine selection focuses on specialized regional / Spanish; wine pairings are not available. The amuse bouse was wonderful and set the bar high for courses yet to come. The cured / aged meats were excellent but the steak selection was flavorful but very chewy and not anywhere near the best of our experience. A good Leon local destination experience but not a culinary experience of a highly touted steak restaurant for the quality received (both food and service) at the high price point.

Well, that was an experience! The beef jerky was excellent, like prosciutto but not a pig. The bone marrow was rich and made me gnaw on the bone to get every last bit of juice and meat. The tartar was powerfully rich and flavorful. The chef's choice aged steak? Intensely flavorful and so buttery rich that I struggled to comprehend it. The flan was excellent for dessert, as good as flan can get. The patatas were as good as fries get. I would skip the jerky and the tartar and go for the steak. My wife did not enjoy the meal nearly as much as I did, though. I believe COVID has harmed her taste buds, so things aren't as intense as they used to be. Maybe 20 years from now, I'll go back?

Its those places that its a strange experience. Quite famous, and weird installation in a underground cellar. Great food, cecina the best ever.... carne tarta super good, tomatoes salad crazy good.... the chuleton premium is very good, aged meat with strong flavors in some parts. If your into food, you should try it.

Most excellent experience, enchanting food, warm hospitality, and charming venue. Utterly delightful

Sometimes you drive for an hour and you regret it, the drive to Bodega El Capricho is not such a drive. As you arrive there appear what look like hobbit holes, which are some kind of party caves that the locals have get together to drink and eat. We enter passing by the kitchen whose counter is piled high with large cuts of beef and a pyramid of tiny button mushrooms. Down some stairs and we are seated in a boothlike alcove carved in to the rock. After a finely crafted gin tonico our starters arrived tiny local mushrooms perfectly cooked along with octopus and potatoes sprinkled with pimenton, both simple yet delicious. Then the reason for the visit, the meat, in our case was a piece of well marbled 7 year old ox meat. The steak which was first presented uncooked, was carved table side. The taste and texture were incredible, deep red, buttery marbling, and deep rich flavor. The sides, fries and watercress salad gave us small breaks before we reutned to the meat. The chef stopped by for well deserved praise. This was worth the drive, everything, service, ambiance, beverages, and food was delightful.